Sif, one of Thor's Warriors Three, is still to get her hero moment after the demi-god's first outing, what with the big guy's fall from grace and subsequent redemption hogging the Asgard limelight. That's set to change in Thor: The Dark World, however, explains actress Jaimie Alexander, who has been elaborating on her bolstered role in the sequel.

"We explore the Sif / Thor relationship a little more," she told I Am Rogue, hinting at a romantic dimension to things. Before anyone gets carried away by the prospect of the pair snogging behind an Asgard bike shed, she points out that their dynamic is a little more complicated. "He and I are also brother/sister types, so that's a little weird."

Not least for Jane Foster, you'd imagine. Natalie Portman's scientist will be travelling to Asgard to witness Thor (Chris Hemsworth) battling a primeval race that Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) manipulates into trying to pitching the whole universe into darkness. You know, like in the title.

Dark World sees Alan Taylor take the reins from Kenneth Branagh, now busy with Jack Ryan, and promises to up the levels of peril for all concerned. "Alan has brought a whole vision to Thor", explains Alexander, "and there's a darker feel to this one. It's a little more Viking-ish, a little more Gladiator-ish." Obviously she means that in the Maximus sense, not the formerly popular British TV show sense.

Penned by Captain America: The First Avenger writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and Marvel man Christopher Yost, Thor: The Dark World lands in the UK on October 30.

I was really surprised at how well Thor turned out. All of the images teased before its release suggested it was going to be a train wreck, but somehow Branagh managed to give a sense of gravitas to the Asgard scenes, which could so easily have been embarrassing, and a make the earth sections playful.
It's a shame he's not returning to direct this instalment, but I love Game of Thrones so I'm still hopeful this will succeed. More